Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-10-29
INSPECTORS VIEWS
On the Situation at the Crow
Agency-General Armstrong
Takes a Correct Position.
Louis King Appointed Chief OF
Police Of Miles City by the
Board of Aldermen.
THE INDIAN WAR.

A Heavy Similarity and UnchangeabIeness
In the situation.
Besides The troops already spoken OF
as being at Fort Custer there are en-
route one troop Of cavalry from Fort
Maginnis and two troops from Fort
Nc iinney. Two more mountain
howitzers have been received and it is
said no such preparations for war
have been made since the campaign
of 1876. Col. Dudley will be in com.
mand Of the forces aud Blgsdier Gen.
eral Ruger directs operations.
There was a report last night, osten-
sibly from Keogh, that word had been
received from Fort Custer of the prog.
r.ss of the Indian difficulty and that
no determined move would be- made
until Monday, when council of war
would be held aud future proceedings
determined. The troops were all in
| fighting trim, defenses for the agency
perfected and everything in readiness
for coup.
Talking with a gentleman well in.
formed on such matters We learned
that the apparent dearth Of news con.
cerning the movement of troops and
hostiles WAS occasioned by orders
Issuing from General Ruger, that all
communication with headquarters be
carried on by letter, the telegraph af.
fording less secrecy. 1t is more diff.
cult TO get actual intelligence than IL is
in case of railroad accident and the
Chicago public are better supplied
with news Of the affair on our border
than we though thousand miles
further away.
Inspector Armstrong, now at the
agency, gives the following account Of
the situation: "The Crow Indians are
much excited and the disturbance il
widespread. One hundred and one
families were absent last ration day.
or these, however, many are only
alarmed and in suspense, awaiting the
result of the trouble. Ifan order were
issued calling all the peacesbly dis.
posed to come in and give themselves
up | think that not more than fifty
would remain without the law. | be.
lieve that II the arrests had been made
on the day of the first hostile demon
stration by the military force sent Il
the agency the whole trouble would
have been settled. Perhaps this would
not have been accomplished without
bloodshed. but the Indians have
gained confidence by the protracted
delay. The Indians, In body, are
likely TO yield without resistance. A
large number Of Indians have left
their homes and are encamped at dis
tant points In dissembled bands and
they are much disturbed. There are
only about four hundred effective
fighting men in the Crow nation
above sixteen years Of age. They
have about four hundred guns, but
are not well supplied with ammuni.
milton. They can retreat TO the noun.
taiEs and there will stand a long siege
This will entail II long campaign
Sword Bearer has been an obscure In
dian. He recently achieved reputa
ton at the Cheyenne agency in SUI
dance, since which time he has been
growing In influence. The Crow ma
ton has had no general leader, thei
old war chief being dead or superan
nuated. Sword Bearer saw this anC
being shrewd, took advantage of tn,
situation. He has been successful as
"a prophet, and has thus gained tn,
superstitious confidence of his follow
ing. Sitting Bulls visit here las
year and his bad counsel to the Crow'
was the main cause of the difficulty
The government should take steps Il
suppress the raids made by the Pie
gans upon the Crow herds. The Pie
gans drive the ponies 10 the British
possessions and sell them; but as there
is All inspector belonging to the Mon
tans stockgrowers' association at this
agency, all stolen horses in the pos.
session of the Crows can be recovered.
They know this aud it eErsges them.
The allotment question does not tig.
ure in this question, rs the Crows
generally have favored it. ltall turns
upon their having made reports OF re-
pri-sls upon the Piegsns aud the or
der for their arrest which followed.
, The custom Of permitting Indians to
indiscriminately visit other tribes Is
bad. When | reached here there were
ten visiting Assinsboines at III,
agency. | returned them at once,
Twenty Gros Ventres crossed the Vel
lowstone last night en- route to thu
Shoshone camp. By my request Gen